How big are satellites?

xoxoxoBruce • Dec 20, 2006 8:58 pm
In case you were wondering, here's one you can gage by the people. ;)
lumberjim • Dec 20, 2006 9:41 pm
that's funny. when i first looked, i hadn;t scrolled down far enough to see the people at the bottom, and i thought those poles on the side were arrows indicating where there were people. iwas like, 'damn, i can;t even see them. the fucking thing must be huge!'

then i scrolled down a little, and it was like, "holy shit, those people are giants!"

it was pretty cool.
MaggieL • Dec 20, 2006 10:38 pm
Various sizes. Here's one I made amateur radio contacts through, while it was being readied for integration with its launch vehicle.


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glatt • Dec 21, 2006 9:39 am
I'm with LJ on this one. I thought that thing on the top left of the satellite was a person, and it was as big as a house. I was trying to visualize the rocket that would carry it up.

As long as we are posting pics. Here's a nice one. [Nelson]Ha Ha![/Nelson]
Spexxvet • Dec 21, 2006 9:47 am
History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a basketball, weighed only 183 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path.


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This is what it took to get the basketball-sized object into orbit:

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pandemic_virus • Jan 6, 2007 4:22 am
The main antennas on Iridium satellites are 188 cm x 86 cm x 4 cm and are famous for creating 'Iridium Flares', great streaks across the sky caused by the passing of an Iridium satellite.
bluecuracao • Jan 6, 2007 4:32 am
Where can we see these???
tw • Jan 6, 2007 1:39 pm
bluecuracao;304745 wrote:
Where can we see these???
Irriduium flares are defined, unique to your location, at:
http://www.heavens-above.com
pandemic_virus • Jan 6, 2007 10:19 pm
Heavens Above is an awesome site for satellite observing, as well as just about anything moves about in out solar system. Just browsing around you can find a lot of things to observe.
If you are going to watch some Iridium Flares, I would recommend setting up your telescope way ahead of schedule and making sure you have a big enough view of the sky in that region.
xoxoxoBruce • Jan 6, 2007 10:48 pm
Wasn't it NBN that posted some pictures of 'Iridium Flares' in quality images? Had two satellites crossing if I remember right.:confused:
busterb • Jan 7, 2007 9:56 am
Someone did. I have it in my wall paper.